Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-08-30
NEEDS OF THE NORTHEAST.
Citizens Association No. 3 Adopt . Re
port viewing the Past.

NEEDS OF THE NORTHEAST.
port Reviewing the Past.
A COMMITTEE SUBMITS A STATEMENT COVERING FIF-
TEEN YEARS-A CLAIM THAT DISCRIMINATION HAS
BEEN MADE IN FAVOR OF THE NOkTHwKSr-A PAR
TIAL LIST OF IMPROVEMENTS TO BE ASKED FOB MKT
YEAR
A special meeting Of Citizens Association No. 3,
representing the northeastern section Of the city,
was held last evening at Peabody School building
TO hear the report of the committee on streets and
reservations.
Mr.. S. c. Clarke, chairman OF the committee,
read an exhaustive report on the subject, giving
detailed description OF the Improvements Of the
city since 1871, and claiming that the northeast
ern section had been neglected In this respect. 1t
began with the organization of the board of pub
lie works In June, 1871, and stated that the plan
OF Improvements proposed by the board purported
to include all the streets OF the entire CITY, and 10
so apportion the improvements that no one sec
ton should have the advantage over any other
section. With this understanding the appropr1a-
ton OF 81, 100000 was made, but within three
years the board had contracted for more than
10000. 900 OF Improvements, and $13 OOO 600 more
than was proposed by the comprehensive plan.
One example was cited as showing the unfairneSS
with which &c IS claimed the eastern section OF the
city was treated as far back as that time. The
estimate for the repairs Of the Bladensburg pike
was $4,000, and for the 9TH street road $4,000.
IL was subsequently stated, however, that
the latter sum was mistake, and should
have been $4,000, instead. The report stated,
however, that during the first year under the new
regime not cent was expended on the Bladens-
burg road, While on the 7th-Street road over
$4,000 was expended. Up to the following spring
the amount was Swelled TO over So, OOO while the
Bladensourg road remained In statu quo, fOrlorn
and forgotten The 7th-Street road improved was
described as extending from the boundary as far
As eX-Gi0y, Shepherds summer residence, and was
thoroughly improved, with wide roadway, gut
sidewalks nd
advantages 1t was stated that to raise sums
necessary for this sectional and personal aggran-
diZement, after exhauSting the 81, 600, 900 loan,
the legislative assembly authorized a loan OF
S2,0Oo0oO additional and assessed the Land for
taxes in an outrageously unjust manner SO that
81 10 900 was added to the assets OF the board.
AS result real estate in the vicinity OF Slash Run
was advanced 400 per cent. AT last Congress
called a halt, and the system Of government was
abolished on the ground that the mode OF taxation
permitted great Injustice.
THE WEST END INFLUENCE.
From that time until now, Mr.. Clarke's report
said we have had seventeen Commissioners and
six engineer officers, and every one OF them has
been subject to the West End influence. With
sedulous watchru,ness every other section OF the
city has been excluded from representation.
other sections have had no means 10 learn OF
plotting FOR the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF the West End
and the neglect OF other sections until they were
suddenly sprung upon the people, as was in
stanced by the proposed extension Of MaSsachu-
sets avenue, although the Engineer Commissioner
had unheSitatingly confessed that he had made q
Careful study Of tue proposed extension for three
months. Property deteriorated on Capitol Hill
and in West Washington, while In the West End
IL increased from 20c and Soc. to g., and 50 per
foot. In the first report OF Lieut.. Greene after he
entered upon duty, he said that there were 81
miles Of streets that were not improved. Some were
IN the suburbs and needed no improvement,
bu, others were In the heart the city required
Immediate attention. He soon caught the cue,
however, and although he was on duty here for
six Years, he left the streets in the heart OF the
city In just tae same condition. Capt. Griffin
Gently reported that all the Old wooden pavement
on Capitol Hill had been removed except On North
Capitol street, between New York avenue and o
street. As al evidence of the error q member of
the committee had recently dug up some or the
old wooden blocks, on another street on Capt.
report he will show that several thousand yards
Oh the old wooden pavement still remained on
Capitol Hill under the accumulation or dust and
gravel
THE COMMISSIONERS COMPARATIVE TABLE
table prepared by the Commissioners showed
that the northeastern section OF the city contrib
utes but per cent Of the citys aggregated income
while theirs the northwest Is 70 per cent that for
every dollar from the northeast there Is So from
the northwest. The market value of property In
the former was diminished, while In the latter it
Was Increased. After the northeast was thus 81
fenced and impoverished and the northwest EN-
rched they continued the system Of taxation
until honorable men in their own section cried out
for shame Twenty squares between 18th and
21St streets and II and streets assessed at an
average or IS cents per square foot when 1t Is well
known that the present value would average 81. 30
per cent In assessing taxes, While 1t should be de-
creased ~ per cent III the northeast, IOr s1G0
worth Of property in the former Is valued at $3.50
that in the latter is taxed on valuation OF $1OS
"The commissioners seem TO ignore all this"
the report said, land set the present increased
valuation OF their quarter at our own expense
against the comparatively diminished valuation
OF ours as for the whole period OF Line years and
then lose no opportunity TO parade before Con-
gresS and the country tabular statement based
on misrepresentation, seemingly TO provoke in
Sl1lCuS distinctions or Illuminating comparison OF
the opuleOce VI the people OF their own section"
Discrimination it was found that the northeast
quarter has about 40 miles OF improved streets,
IL miles graveled and "a unimproved.
BY request. the chairman read some OF the
year, thus Tar agreed upon by the committee, but
as this portion OF the report not completed IL
was not considered In tie report. which, with that
exception was unanimously adopted ana the as
ISOLATION adjourned until next Monday evening
wnen the recommendations Will be read prepare.
tory 20 the complete reports being transmitted to
the Committee OF One Hundred.
TIE IMPROVEMENTS ASKED FOR.
The list OF improvements wanted as far as
agreed upon. As Fad Gy ~. Clarke, was u fol-
lows: To gr.de AMI regulate / .tTeaI Tru.A No.ta
Capito. ,irret To It'll; 9Th, 9Th and 1th streets
lrpLl b 10 II, 11tu. l3lh ana l4Lh from harylanI
avenue 10 street. gu -.Tr=c IFJ;I ! u b: strel,
from 9th TO 9TH; 81 - =; An ard oru frOuI
Mary ALL avenue 10 Boundary; q, 1roiil "a TO 1th;
a, Irom sth 10 IOun1Ai!; :. iioiI Nortl Capitol
street TO Boundary. To be pAve>4: 1tu street from
Massachusetts, avenue TO Maryland avenue and
street FROM North Capitol street to I'd.